PRESS RELEASE: 2015-2022 AUDITED REPORT: PLANS BY THE ORTORM ADMINISTRATION TO USE BENUE ASSEMBLY TO COVER FINANCIAL MISCONDUCT UNCOVERED
The All Progressives Congress, APC, Benue Chapter, has uncovered a plot by the Governor Samuel’s administration to use the Benue State Assembly to cover for its financial recklessness.
In a clandestine move to cover up for all the illicit financial transactions perpetrated by his administration in the last Eight years, Governor Samuel Ortom’s administration is mounting pressure on the PDP-led Benue State House of Assembly to officially adopt the State Auditor-General’s report on the Audited Accounts of the State for the year 2015 – 2022.
The reason for the rush in adopting and giving a Clean Bill of Health to all the Audited reports, it was learnt, is to okay same so that the next APC-led Assembly will not have to deliberate on financial transactions under Ortom’s administration that were querried for falling far short of transparency, probity and accountability.
According to our sources, the Governor has released about Eighty million Naira to the Assembly to process the Eight years reports for quick adoption without following due process. The usual procedure is to publish names of Public Officers with Audit queries and subject it to a Public hearing before debating on the floor of the House where decisions are finally taken.
Our sources further revealed that while the Clock is fasting ticking on Ortom’s administration, the State Lawmakers have since resolved to boycott sittings and actions on the Auditor-Generals Audit Queries until their six months’ salary and 3months Imprest is paid.
Our sources also revealed that Some Lawmakers have been receiving a lot of pressure from some key members of Gov. Ortom’s Cabinet to finish legislative action on the Report before the expiration of this administration, but the law makers are more concerned about their financial entitlements which they said must be paid before any other thing.
Considering the desperation shown by the outgoing administration to give the Eight years Audited Reports a Clean Bill Of Health (by Legislative backing) in the next two weeks, all is being done within Government circles, especially by top government officials fingered in corrupt and dubious financial transactions to source funds to clear all the financial entitlements of the Lawmakers to have the Assembly Nicodemusly adopt the Report without going through due process.
The fear by top government officials of the outgoing government is that if their financial recklessness is not covered by the current PDP-led Assembly, their sharp practices will be exposed by the incoming government.
Daniel Ihomun
State Publicity Secretary, APC, Benue State.
16th May 2023.
